In a world characterized by new technology and rapidly changing human needs, leisure
increasingly is recognized for the way it contributes to a fulfilling life, and free time is
valued when used in self-expression and creativity through recreation. With its great interest
in travel, sport and entertainment, health and fitness, and the arts, post-industrial society
requires educated professionals to manage leisure services in business or industry, tourism,
the community, the armed forces and other government agencies, residential facilities,
youth service organizations, and outdoor recreation. Recent graduates are employed
in management, planning, and program leadership and development by a variety of
organizations such as resorts, park districts, state and national parks, hospitals, communitybased
therapeutic agencies, YMCA’s, camps and outdoor recreation centers, tourism
agencies, wilderness camping programs, university student unions, and civic and senior
citizen centers.

To accommodate a variety of interests and career directions, the department is able to
help students develop individualized programs of study. Students have the opportunity
to participate in the ECO Education Expedition, a semester-long experience conducted in
national parks, outdoor education centers, and wilderness areas.

The B.S. in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration is accredited by the National
Recreation and Park Association. Students graduating from this program are immediately
eligible to sit for the examination to become a Certified Park and Recreation Professional
and thereby acquire this valuable credential for professional advancement. Successful
completion of prescribed courses in therapeutic recreation results in eligibility to sit for the
examination to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Honors Curriculum—Academically qualified students in this department are welcome
to complete an honors curriculum in University Honors, Upper Division Honors, or Lower
Division Honors. All Honors students must complete the one-hour honors colloquium (G H
299). Lower Division Honors includes General Honors coursework. Upper Division Honors
includes honors work in the major. University Honors combines Upper and Lower Division
Honors. For more information about honors curricula see the Centennial Honors College page of the catalog or visit the Centennial Honors College website at www.wiu.edu/Honors.

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science—Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration

Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration
must complete I, II, III, IV, and V below, and the foreign language/global issues
requirement for the major#. The minimum semester hour requirement for the baccalaureate
degree is 120 s.h.

Minors

Minor in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration: 16 s.h.

Minor in Outdoor Leadership: 24 s.h.

Core Courses: RPTA 249, 349, 450: 9 s.h.

Field Study: RPTA 376, 444, 446, 448 449: 15 s.h.

Note: Admission to the minor requires that the student be in good academic standing
and successfully complete the application process for the Environmental Conservation
Outdoor Education Expedition (ECOEE). The minor requires a prescribed sequencing of
courses, where RPTA 249 and 349 are taken prior to the learning expedition, and all five
Field Study courses are taken during the learning expedition.

Minor in Nonprofit Administration

Minor in Horticulture

Course Descriptions

RECREATION, PARK AND TOURISM
ADMINISTRATION (RPTA)

110 Concepts of Leisure. (3) (General Education/
Human Well-Being) Explores the place of leisure in
society. Examines what people do for recreation and
leisure in a changing culture. Assists students from
all majors to develop a personal leisure life-style that
promotes wellness. Does not count toward the major in
recreation, park and tourism administration.

111 Introduction to Leisure Services. (3) Examines
the purpose and function of leisure services delivered
by governmental, non-profit, and private agencies. For
major and minor, course is prerequisite to all upper
division courses.

199 Fieldwork in Leisure Services. (1, repeatable to
2) A minimum of 100 clock hours work experience per
credit hour in up to three approved park or recreation
agencies. An orientation to the leisure service profession.
Prerequisite: prior consent of departmental adviser.
Graded S/U only.

251 Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation. (3)
Introduction to the field of therapeutic recreation,
theories and models, orientation to terminology
characteristics, and dynamics of people with disabilities.
Field experience required.

270 Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations. (3) The course will introduce the history, mission, programs,
and staffing of nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and
focus on the role they have in meeting the needs of
youth and adults, including those of under-represented
groups, in society.

330 Program Planning for People with Physical
Disabilities: Community and Educational Services.
(3) Acquaint students with the classifications,
development, and the social psychological aspects
unique to persons who have physical disabilities and
other health impairments in order to plan community
and education services. Prerequisite: RPTA 251 or SPED
310 or equivalent; or consent of instructor.

349 Expedition Planning. (3) Provides students the
opportunity to examine the components of an outdoor
expedition. An expedition is then planned. Prerequisites:
upper division status or consent of instructor; prior
consent of instructor.

362 Tourism. (3) Examines the principles, practices,
and philosophy of the travel industry. No course
prerequisite for nonmajors. Prerequisite: upper division
status or consent of instructor.

366 Commercial Recreation. (3) Examines the
diversity of commercial recreation enterprises; also
general trends and personal attributes associated with a
career in commercial recreation. No course prerequisite
for nonmajors. Prerequisite: upper division status or
consent of instructor.

376 Perspectives in Outdoor Recreation. (3) Examines outdoor recreation movement in America and
its impact on natural resources; reviews relationships
between changing public demand and the many
agencies involved in supplying outdoor recreation.
Includes technical writing instruction. Prerequisites:
upper division status or consent of instructor.

377 Management of Outdoor Recreation Resources.
(3) Considers theory and practice for management of
land and water resources for recreation experiences.
Examines social and physical carrying capacity of land
and cultural treatment of ecological systems. Prerequisite:
upper division status or consent of instructor.

378 Consortium in Outdoor Recreation. (2) Involves
students from several major universities in developing
understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of and
for agencies and resources in an on-site experience
such as at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.
Prerequisite: upper division status or consent of
instructor; prior consent of instructor. Trip fee required.

397 Research and Evaluation in Leisure Services.
(3) Introduces basic concepts and procedures for design
and implementation of evaluative research in practical
settings. Prerequisites: RPTA 111, STAT 171, and junior
standing.

398 Internship Seminar. (1) Assists students to
determine personal goals and objectives, conduct survey
and apply to various agencies before making final
selection for location of internship. Prerequisite: RPTA
199; RPTA majors of junior or senior standing; RPTA
minors by petition.

399 Issues in Leisure Services. (1) Explores the
roles and responsibilities attributable to the developing
professional, with a focus on service and environmental
stewardship. Prerequisites: RPTA 111, 235, 322, and 376.

422 Advanced Administration of Leisure Services.
(3) Investigates advanced concepts and processes
related to the administration of leisure services, including
marketing applications and the management of human
and fiscal resources. Prerequisites: RPTA 322 and upper
division status, or consent of instructor.

424 Fund Raising and Volunteerism in Leisure
Services. (3) A study of the principles and practices
associated with fundraising and utilization of volunteers
in public as well as private nonprofit leisure service
organizations. Prerequisite: RPTA 322.

428 Youth and Leisure Services. (3) A study of the
theories, principles, and practices related to youth
and leisure including social trends and issues, youth
development, youth services agencies, program planning
and evaluation, behavior management, leadership, and
public relations. Prerequisites: RPTA 230 and 235.

430 Principles of Recreational Sports. (3) The role
of sport as a developmental tool by organizations
such as local government, youth, and family nonprofit
organizations, universities, corporations, military bases,
and specialized amateur athletic organizations. Emphasis
is placed on various instructional and competitive
program delivery models. Prerequisites RPTA 111, 230,
and 235.

450 Traveling Workshop. (1–3, repeatable to 6) Opportunity for students to observe the operations of
a variety of leisure service agencies and to discuss onlocation
the trends, problems, and techniques in leisure
service delivery. Prerequisite: upper division status or
consent of instructor. Lab fee.

452 Leisure Services for the Elderly. (3) Examines
theories and concepts related to leisure and aging;
includes field experiences with the elderly. Prerequisite:
upper division status or consent of instructor.

455 (cross-listed with FCS 455) Casino Operations.
(3) Description of basic casino operations and principles
of casino marketing, mathematics of casino games,
and utility analysis of gaming motivation and gaming
addictions. Exploration of career opportunities in the
gaming industry. Historical background and impact of
gaming on hospitality industry. Not open to students with
credit in FCS 455. Prerequisites: FCS 150; FCS 353 or
RPTA 322 or RPTA 323.

460 Community Tourism Development. (3) Provides
essentials for successful development of a local tourism
economy including organizing, planning, developing,
and operation. Prerequisites: RPTA 362 and upper
division status, or permission from instructor.

461 Conference and Convention Planning and
Management. (3) Prepares students for positions as
planners and managers of conferences and conventions
at resorts, hotels, cruise ships, camps, universities,
or other private or municipal convention centers.
Prerequisite: junior or senior standing or consent of
instructor.

465 Tourism Destination Promotion. (3) A
comprehensive study of the functions of community
tourism promotion. Examines management strategies
and methods to fund and operate a promotional agency
and fulfill responsibilities to community, local service
providers, and potential visitors. Prerequisite: RPTA 362
or consent of instructor.

467 Special Event Planning and Management. (3) The application of methods and techniques to plan,
implement, and evaluate successful community special
events. Content includes selection of event theme
and coordination of set up, staff, finance, promotion,
partnerships, and operations and evaluation. Prerequisite:
RPTA 235.

470 American Humanics Management Institute:
Nonprofit Youth and Human Service Organizations.
(0) This course is an intensive experience, held at
the American Humanics Management Institute, where
students will participate in meetings and workshops
designed to provide professional educational sessions
and interactive case studies for students pursuing
certification. Prerequisite: RPTA 270. Graded S/U only.

490 Independent Study. (1–3, repeatable to 8)
Research projects or independent study not covered in
other courses. Credit assigned according to the nature
and scope of project. Prerequisites: upper division status
or consent of instructor; written description of proposal
including justification, objectives, and procedures
must be submitted to department chairperson prior
to enrollment; permission of department chairperson
required.

499 Internship in Leisure Services. (3) 12 s.h. to be
taken concurrently. Laboratory field experience provides
for practical application of knowledge and theory in a
professional setting. Student acquires experience in all
phases of leisure service delivery with highly qualified
personnel in a selected agency with university faculty
supervision. Cannot apply to minor except by petition.
Prerequisites: upper division status, all core classes
completed with a minimum of C in each, and approval of
departmental committee.